Daydreams of Steel
by Flame Falcon
Summary: Prize for bladewielder05. Always wanting to wield a sword, Ness takes advantage of the opportunity when robin accidentally leaves his sword in he training arena. While he wields it, he has a fantastic daydream with him as the hero. But is it just a daydream? After all, every fairy tale has a grain of truth.


Ness skipped down the Mansion's hall with a bit of excitement unseen by him in quite some time. Finally, after the illness had passed him that kept him cooped up in his room for the better part of a week, Ness was eager and excited to practice his fighting style again.

Now, many would consider the constant training to keep one's body and form in peek condition a necessary chore. But Ness was different, oh boy was he different. There was little more he enjoyed than being in the training area, calling forth bolts of the elements manifested by his own force of will on the endless waves of training bots on various difficulty levels. Fire, starlight, ice, it didn't matter. All elements were under his control, and when that proved to be ill suited… he always did feel powerful swinging his baseball bat and yo-yo with a considerable amount of force behind it.

However, if there was something that would make him take a momentary pause in his step is that he felt so… out of place. Not only by the fact was he one of the few children or childlike individuals in roster, though that fact often caused his opponents to underestimate his true abilities. What caused him to take pause was that his choice of weapons was so out of place.

It was true that he could bend elements by sheer force of will, much like the mage-regent Zelda used ancient Hylian runes to bend the empyreal sea to her will or any others who used the arcane as a sharp dagger in the roster. While he used his gifts as a sledgehammer, preferring raw overwhelming force without much finesse, he was forced to use a collection of other items to shore up his lack of specialty. It was that unusual collection of weapons that made him seem so alienated from others.

He continued this thought as he reached the training area and saw that it was filled with only one other person, and in his hands was something Ness always wanted. Robin moved through his martial disciplines, swinging his flamberge sword around with a spell book in his other hand. The wicked design of the sword curving like flames along the edge made a chilling sound as it cut through nothing but the thin air.

Ness watched Robin from a distance, knowing how temperamental the snow haired mage could be if he was interrupted in any of his practices. Ness had learned from prior experience that walking in on a complex ritual was practically a death sentence, though thankfully such lethal powers were controlled venomously by the Master Hand.

Still, it was almost like watching a choreographed dance than a fighting style. The movements of Robin's body, each swing of his arms, from using his sword to carve arcane runes in the air to a seemingly brutish but at the same time elegant fist to an imaginary face. The tactician paused for a moment and shook his head. "No no no. Wrong wrong wrong. Swing, swing, blast, batter. Silly silly me." Robin spoke with a sharp judgmental tone directed at himself. Recovering from his outburst and seemingly not noticing Ness standing there watching him, he picked up the weapon again, putting the spell book aside and began to plan his next attack at a foe only he could see.

Ness watched, with a bitter taste of jealously coated his tongue. Perhaps that is what ultimately made Ness feel alienated from everyone else. Everyone else seemed to have their own style of fighting, and those that seemingly had a mixed style of fighting made it seem natural. Like it was a well thought out method of fighting. He had raw power, a yo-yo, and a baseball bat. It wasn't as elegant as a sword mixed with a bow and arrow, and even though it wasn't half bad it still seemed like it was an unfinished idea.

Secretly, he was also jealous at the amount of respect sword wielders seemingly got from everyone else. Everyone seemed to fawn over them, admiring their styles and methods with using their weapons that they would often forger that they were supposed to be doing their own training.

He had recalled such scenarios happening more than once between Meta Knight and Link, both of them moving like ghosts in the sparing circle, each one of them twisting the swords with such inhuman speeds. Everyone looked at them like they were the gods of battle. Whenever he fought, Ness always thought people were holding back hard laughter. _If I had a sword, they wouldn't think of me as such_ , Ness muttered in his head.

He blinked once and saw that there, leaning on the wall was the sword that had seemingly danced around a scant few minutes in the hands of Robin was now seemingly left there. Odd, Robin rarely left the weapon out of hand's reach. The item had been more of his own flesh as opposed to a tool Ness believed it.

He looked around, he was all alone now, and no other body in the arena was with him besides the humanoid shaped training dummies. Robin would be back for it eventually, though it would take some time for him to remember anything before he set his mind to a particular goal. And it wasn't like he was going to take it…

Ness walked slowly, as if he was approaching a mighty minster that would lash out with fury and anger if someone else other than its master picked it up to wield. As he got closer, he could see how long the weapon was, even for what he had been told was a rapier type of sword. It was almost as tall as he was, perhaps even more so if the weapon was straightened out. He could see the patterns of steel that made up the weapons, the grains seemingly moved together in a single pattern. It was as beautiful as it was lethal.

Very carefully, he reached out for the leather handle. He paused the second he touched it, almost awaiting the stark rebuke from the white haired tactician for touching his sword. None came, and he wrapped his child hand around the hilt. He moved to pick it up, believing that it would be as light as air with all of the enchantment wards upon the edges of the blade.

He was in for a surprise when his arm fell due to the weight of the blade. Even for a sword the lightly built mage seemed to wield with ease, it weight a considerable amount. It took both of his hands to raise the sword up, making it in his situation more of a claymore the Radiant Hero of Tellius would use.

Ness swung it gently this way and that, trying to get a feel for the weapon. It was clear that this was a thrusting sword, though it would not be that effective given the curves or so Ness assumed. Perhaps that was the whole design of the weapon with the mage's mind when he crafted it. It was a backup weapon to protect him when his foes got close enough for his magics to no longer be effective. To parry and wound while his company would finish those lucky or skillful enough to get past wards.

But still it felt powerful to wield, even clumsily like Ness was doing right now. _Swish_ , the blade cut through the air with a sharp whistling, finding its mark on the gel torso of a training dummy. Letting his imagination go free, that gel torso was not a block of gelatin, no…

* * *

 _The greenskined monster let loose a final scream as it fell into the grassy plain. Ness, Commander of the Eldritch Knights, swung his sword around, flicking whatever still clung to his blade into the ground to join its fallen master. He had barely a moment to himself before the last few stragglers hurled themselves at him with their fists and swords. He effortlessly cut them down, sending them sprawling without as much as a blink. He summoned forth a tidal wave of fire and engulfed the last one, before turning away with a contemptuous look on his face._

 _Many years had passed since he was just a whelp in the Mansion speaking of nightmares, and he had grown into a mighty and respected military commander. He was a pup no more, he was the Great Wolf._

 _Behind him stood an entire sea of heroes that would stand together against the darkness. Hylian grey sorceresses, Borec Lords, Naga's Disciples, exotic animal trainers, and hordes of races whose names were unpronounceable. Message of this day had spread to every world, to everyone who cared for the sanctity of existence sent their greatest. Even his former companions from the Mansion during those far flung peaceful days who were now great leaders in their own right stood behind him, facing destruction here and now. The fate of all life would be decided here and now._

 _Standing in front of them were the hordes of the returned Tabuu. He had returned from whatever prison in the abyss that he called home. He had sworn to return one day, and it appeared to be this day. Arrayed against them were many things that Ness had fought more than two decades ago during the Subspace Calamity, and some new horrors that he had no idea from what world they were from or who they were crafted from. Swords mixed with blaster, arrow with cannon… both sides were a motley assortment of equipment._

 _There would be no grand strategy here today. No skillful maneuvers or clever feints. No quarter given or offered from either side. This would be nothing but sheer brutality upon the open field, two massive armies slamming into each other with their various supports shoring up their defenses. Ness was honored to lead them in this final charge._

 _He carefully sheathed his blade as he mounted a Yoshi granted to him the Lady Peach for saving her and her people during the opening days of Tabuu's return. This mount was the decedent of the one Mario, may he rest in eternal peace, rode during his many adventures to save the Mushroom Kingdom. The yellow skinned seemed be unusual for a mount, as it made him a priority target for Tabuu's indoctrinated assassins. But Ness had refused to hide and strike General Link had always favored. He preferred to show his colors to let his enemy know who they were facing. That he was proud to be him, and that he was proud to die for the cause he believed in._

 _He rode up and down the lines, finding the faces of those who had stood with him. King Dedede, the one who was the first to believe him and not wanting to be duped again, had given him his knighthood and a plethora of resources to gather allies. The two Robins stood side by side, each giving him the training with magic and the sword he needed to prove himself. Ike, the weight of the war and the loss of his first daughter Elena Zelda at the hands of a corrupted maid in the Hyrule castle evident upon his brow, was standing at the forefront of the army eager for war. Queen Zelda herself was back in Hyrule, preparing to preserve what knowledge would be passed on to the next cycle should this war end in Tabuu's favor._

 _Lucas was there as well, leading a vanguard of arcane gifted to finish off the skirmishers that came at them. Old friends and new allies from worlds unheard, some with swords larger than humanly possible stood in regimented lines. Ness had to inspire them. To give them hope for the battle._

 _He looked over those who would be charging with him and took in a deep breath, enjoying the taste and the smell of the fresh air before the battle began. "We all know what we stand against today. I will not tell you the stakes we fight for today, as you know what happens should we fail today. The chaos of mortality will be replaced by cold calculus of Tabuu. We do not know what we will face over there, so we will assume the jaws of hell itself have opened. We do not know our odds of survival, so we will fight them as if they were zero."_

 _He paused, thinking of his words with extreme care. "We may die here and not even be buried in our home soil so we will build our memorial here. Our nations will lose us and the next generation may not know that we have even existed. But Tabbu… Tabuu will remember. Here today, we will hurt him so bad that he will remember us even when the dust of our bones pass away and we are nothing. When the next cycle rises up should we fail here today and strike down Tabuu, his last thought will be of us!"_

 _A cry of victory, hope and vengeance filled the air. "That will be our victory, carved into the heart of Tabuu. We cannot lose! We have already won!" Ness bellowed at the top of his lungs and turned to face the incoming horde. At the front was Tabuu himself, his eyes seemingly fixed on Ness. The wings attached to his back like that of a rainbow butterfly flexed with unspoken hatred._

 _Saying one last prayer of thanks to the spirits, Ness reached down to the sword at his side and drew it free-_

* * *

Ness cried out in pain and dropped the sword as blood flowed freely from his hand. The sword dropped to the ground with a mighty clang. He clutched his hands, trying to stop the bleeding as tears rolled down his face. He had been so absorbed in the daydream, so immersed that he had forgotten to loosen his hand as he drew the sword from its imaginary sheath. It wouldn't have been a problem if the blade wasn't curved this way and that.

"Oh foolish, foolish me! I knew I forgot something!" Robin's voice entered Ness's ears, though he was in so much pain and on the point of crying. "Played with my sword? Expected consequences followed. Never mind, damage to hand painful. Potentially crippling, but not lethal." He took the cut hand and began to wrap it in gauze, his breath muttered a healing phrase all the while.

The pain was still there, but it began to slip into numbness as Ness rubbed his eyes free of tears. "S-ss-sorry, Robin. I shouldn't have played with your weapon, but you left it and I couldn't help myself."

"Apology accepted. Saw you practicing for a while. Crude, but effective form. Potential promising." He slapped Ness on the arm, which caused a wince from the young child. Robin picked up the sword and wiped it off on his cloak. "Appear to be interested in fencing. Would teach if willing to commit."

Ness smiled, though it was somewhat forced do to the pain still going through his hand. "As long as I get a sword that fits me better than yours."

Robin laughed, though it was unusual as his manner of speech. "Of course. Noticed that you seemed under trance with sword. Not uncommon. Blade enchanted with clairvoyance abilities. Can cause such powerful daydreams with a grain of premonition in them."

Ness paused, and looked up. "Clairvoyance… you mean seeing the future?"

"Of course. Saw anything unusual? Unsettling?"

Ness tried to figure out how to answer, but decided to bite his tongue for now. It was just a day dream. "Nothing too bad, just my imagination ran wild."

Robin nodded and walked out the door. "Indeed. Happens to me all the time. Nothing unusual."

"Not comforting!" Ness yelled at the retreating tactician, forcing a laugh from both of them. _It was just a day dream_ , Ness spoke in his head as he decided he had enough excitement as he began to leave the sparing arena.

Out of the corner of his eyes, however, he saw the telltale shimmer of a rainbow.


End file.
